ES2425913T3 - Apparatus and method for shaping and wrapping material - Google Patents

Abstract

A unit (2) for shaping and wrapping, for forming material according to a continuous bar (20) and wrapping said material, and adapted to be fixed to a material supply unit, comprising: - a shaping chamber (6), to form the material in a continuous bar, said chamber having an inlet opening for feeding material into the chamber and an outlet opening for continuous bar debonding, and - sheet wrapping means (4), for wrapping said continuous bar, and characterized in that it further comprises: control means operating on said sheet winding means, wherein at least one of said sheet winding means and said control means is adapted to be operable independently of a speed of feeding of material to the deconformation chamber.

Description

Apparatus and method for shaping and wrapping material

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for shaping and wrapping material in the manner of a continuous bar, to a forming and wrapping unit for shaping the material as a continuous bar, and to the wrapping of said material. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for forming material in the manner of a continuous bar and for wrapping said material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional packaging of bulky products in general, and especially of agricultural products such as grass, hay, silage or straw, comprises compressing the bulky material in the packing chamber of a packer to form a bale and subsequently wrapping the bale with a net or a cover sheet, for example a protective film. By wrapping the bale with a protective wrapping, a controlled environment can be created inside the bale. Such an environment can be aerobic or anaerobic. For example, for the production of grass silage, which requires anaerobic conditions, the protective film should provide a barrier against moisture, oxygen and UV light, and also provide mechanical protection for the bale. In other cases, such as the wrapping of compostable waste, an aerobic environment may be desired.

Instead of round bales, large elongated bales have been popularized for the storage of material such as fodder, hay, silage, etc. Such elongated bales are often shaped using long tubes of plastic film, which are dragged onto a bar of preformed (compressed) material. Alternatively, the material is pressed into the tube. However, such tubes are inflexible and in practice are limited to very few applications, since the dimensions of the tube are predetermined prior to the start of the packaging process of the material. Thus, if the material to be packaged is exhausted before the plastic tube has been filled, the user has to cut the tube prior to the hermetic sealing of the elongate bale. The excess tube can not be used to encapsulate another bar of material. This can result in large quantities of discarded plastic tubes and therefore unnecessary costs, since the plastic tubes are relatively expensive.

Also, the thickness of the plastic tube is predetermined. This is disadvantageous because depending on the intended application, such silage production, which requires high quality protection to achieve anaerobic conditions, or simply protection against atmospheric agents, are different requirements on plastic tubes. For example, the production of silage requires a thicker plastic than protection against atmospheric agents. In addition, a more densely compressed material may require a thicker wrap than the bulky material compressed or loosely assembled. Due to the high price of polymeric materials, a plastic tube having a greater thickness than necessary for the application in question will result in unnecessary costs for the user and unnecessary use of plastic material, which is a disadvantage also from a environmental point of view.

Another problem associated with these tubes is that the shape of the tube can affect the storage stability and the quality of the final product. If the base of the tube perpendicular to its longitudinal extension is too narrow, the tube will collapse, which causes the formation of air pockets near the periphery of the bale, resulting in the retention of moisture and oxygen in the bale, which is highly detrimental to the production of silage.

WO 95/01716 discloses an apparatus for wrapping food in plastic sheets by progressively rolling a sheet of plastic film around a compressed food bar, instead of screwing a plastic tube around the food. The apparatus comprises a movable frame, a food receiving part in the frame as well as a winding frame of the plastic sheet disposed so as to be rotatable about the food to be wrapped. The apparatus further comprises a set screw or other means for compressing the food to form a continuous bar. The winding frame receives its driving force from a power transmission of a work machine, such as a tractor, through a rotary gearbox of the pressure screw. In this way, the rotating gearbox is coupled with a transmission of the working machine and with a transmission for causing the plastic sheet to rotate. With this, the revolution of the plastic sheet depends on the revolution of the pressure screw.

Even though the apparatus disclosed in WO 95/01716 solves at least partially the problem of waste of plastic material due to the excess part of the tubes, there are several drawbacks associated with the apparatus described above. One problem is that the consumption of plastic sheet is not controlled and the user of the device can not influence it. In addition, the rotation of the food by means of the pressure screw makes the apparatus unsuitable for compressing large quantities of material comprising long straws, since the rotation of such a material results in large frictional forces in the

periphery of the compression chamber. Another problem related to food rotation is that the apparatus is also unsuitable for handling material comprising very short straws, or particulate material such as corn, since the rotation of these materials results in too low friction forces in the periphery of the compression chamber, in such a way that the material does not form a bar of sufficient density.

Therefore, there remains a need in the state of the art for improved methods for wrapping bulky materials in general, and especially straw materials such as grass, hay or silage, as well as particulate materials, in such a way as to provide an environment controlled with the desired properties inside the envelope, and the devices used for this purpose.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to mitigate at least partially the problems of the prior art and to provide an improved method of wrapping bulky material.

According to one aspect, the invention achieves the above object by providing a forming and wrapping unit for forming a material according to a continuous bar and wrapping said material, whose unit is adapted to be fixed to a supply unit of material for feeding from said material to the forming and wrapping unit The forming and wrapping unit comprises:

a shaping chamber for shaping the material according to a continuous bar, said chamber having an inlet opening for feeding material into the chamber and an outlet opening for discharging said continuous bar;

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sheet winding means for wrapping said continuous bar, and

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control means operating on said sheet winding means.

At least one of the foil winding means and said control means is adapted to be operable independently of the feed rate of material in the forming chamber. Preferably, both the sheet winding means and said control means are adapted to be operable independently of the feed rate of the material.

Since the feeding and wrapping of material are operable separately, the amount of overlap between adjacent layers or rounds of wrapping sheet can be chosen by the user in such a way that a desirable number of layers or rounds of film can be provided. wrap in each portion of the continuous bar of material. With this, the forming and wrapping unit can be used to wrap many different types of materials and for different applications, which impose different requirements on the degree of protection provided by the wrapping. Accordingly, the forming and wrapping unit can be used for silage that provides atmospheric protection or for compostable waste wrapping, and can be used for two or more different applications without requiring any modification other than the proper adjustment of the performance of the medium. rolling of sheet in order to provide to each operation the desirable degree of overlap between adjacent rounds of wrapping sheet. Thus, the forming and wrapping unit according to the invention offers a convenient and low-priced wrap of bulky material formed in the form of a continuous bar.

The shaping and wrapping unit may further comprise a guiding portion disposed as a continuation of said compression chamber, wherein said sheet wrapping means is arranged to wrap a sheet around the guiding portion. The guiding portion preferably comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending plates or bars, which are mutually separated from each other to expose part of the material to be wrapped. In this way, good adhesion of the wrapping sheet to the material is provided.

In addition, the shaping chamber may be of adjustable size and / or cross section. Additionally or alternatively, the guiding portion may be of adjustable size and / or cross section. With this, the unit can be optimized for different applications, since the optimum size and cross-sectional shape of the shaping chamber, and therefore also the resulting continuous bar of material, typically vary for different materials. For example, for forming and wrapping grass, a large diameter of the shaping chamber may be preferable, while for wrapping grain or corn a shaping chamber having a larger base area may be preferable.

The adjustment can be made during the operation of the unit (that is, during feeding, shaping and wrapping of the material).

In addition, the sheet wrapping means of the shaping and wrapping unit may comprise at least one support arm having at least one sheet dispenser. The support arm may comprise a telescopic arm. Advantageously, a telescopic arm can be arranged to closely follow any configuration of the shaping chamber and the bar of shaped material. Using a

such telescopic arm, the sheet can be wound tightly around the material (compressed), in such a way as to avoid the formation of air pockets between the material and the sheet. In some applications, the presence of oxygen can adversely affect the storage stability of the wrapped material, and thus, avoiding air pockets can result in improved stability and storage quality of the wrapped material. In addition, such an arm is adapted to follow the shape of the guiding portion even though the diameter or shape of the guiding portion is adjusted. In this way, the bar can be relatively close to the ground during winding.

Alternatively, the sheet wrapping means of the forming and wrapping unit may be arranged on a guiding rail.

The film winding means of the forming and wrapping unit according to the invention typically comprise from 1 to 6 sheet dispensers, and preferably between 2 and 6 sheet dispensers. A sheet dispenser typically consists of a roll of sheet arranged to be unwound. By using several reel rolls, the number of interruptions to change rolls can be reduced, and thus the forming and wrapping unit becomes more efficient over time. In addition, if the sheet of one or more rolls is broken or exhausted, the user can increase the speed of the roll or the remaining rolls, so that a desirable number of layers or rounds of wrapping film can be provided to each portion of the continuous bar of material without stopping the operation to change the broken or exhausted roll. The increase in speed can be proportional to the number of broken or exhausted rolls.

In embodiments of the invention, the shaping and wrapping unit may further comprise at least one sensing device for monitoring a degree of compression of the material to be formed as a continuous bar. Upon receiving information about the density of the shaped material, the user can suitably adapt any feeding operation, if the compressed material is desired more or less dense, or the user can adequately adjust the degree of overlap between adjacent rounds of sheeting. wrap. With this, optimized compression and wrapping can be achieved.

In some embodiments, the unit may comprise two or more sensor devices, preferably positioned at different positions within the interior of the shaping chamber. Said at least one sensor device may be expandable.

The forming and winding unit according to the invention can be part of an apparatus for forming material according to a continuous bar and for wrapping said material, said apparatus comprising:

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means for supplying material for feeding said material;

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first control means that operate on said means of material supply, and

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a shaping and wrapping unit as described above,

wherein said first control means operating on said material supply means and said control means operating on said sheet winding means are operable separately.

The material supply means for feeding said material can also be mentioned as feeders. The first control means that operate on said material supply means (feeder) can also be mentioned as the first regulator. The control means of the forming and wrapping unit operating on said sheet winding means (film reel) can also be mentioned as second regulator.

Thus, the invention also relates to an apparatus for forming material as a continuous bar and for wrapping said material, comprising:

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means for supplying material for feeding said material;

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first control means operating on said means of material supply;

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film winding means, and

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second control means operating on said foil winding means,

characterized in that said first control means and said second control means are operable separately.

In embodiments of the invention, the apparatus comprises at least one wire secured at its proximal end to the material supply means or to a rear wall of the forming and wrapping unit. The wire is typically released by a wire release during operation of the apparatus.

The apparatus may also comprise at least one device for measuring the transfer of shaped material to

continuous bar mode, wherein said device comprises:

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at least one wire fastened at its proximal end to the material supply means or to a rear wall of the forming and wrapping unit;

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a wire release adapted to release said wire, and

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means for measuring a release speed of said wire released by said wire releaser.

Such an arrangement is advantageous, since it is possible to measure the transfer of material formed as a continuous bar by said device by measuring the speed of release of the wire. Optionally, the speed of the wrapping means can be controlled based on the speed of release of the wire, such that the overlap between adjacent rounds of sheet wound around the continuous bar can be controlled. In addition, the degree of compression of the material fed by the material supply means can be controllable using wire braking means that can be arranged in relation to the wire release.

Preferably, the wire is arranged so that it is embedded in the material during feeding and wrapping of the material. Therefore, in case the wire breaks during the operation of the apparatus, it is cushioned by the material and therefore is less dangerous to the surrounding environment.

At its distal end, the wire may be attached to a corresponding wire support device located at the distal end of the material bar. Preferably, the wire support device can be shaped as a cone-shaped body and during use is at least partially wound inside a sheet used to wrap the said continuous bar.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a method for forming and wrapping material as a continuous bar, comprising:

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feeding said material to a winding position while said material is being formed;

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winding the sheet around said material in such a way that said sheet overlaps at least partially with a round of previously rolled sheet;

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transferring the wrapped material from said winding position to a position ready for storage;

characterized in that said step of feeding the material to a winding position and said step of winding the sheet around the material, are operable separately.

The advantages of operation separately from feeding and winding have been described above.

By "position ready for storage" a position is indicated in which the material bar can be left and stored or from which it can be transferred to a more permanent storage position. A position ready for storage can refer to a site on the ground that the bar is intended to support during storage, or from which it is to be transported to a later storage site. A position ready for storage can also refer to the platform of a vehicle. In such cases, the vehicle may be in motion, moving out of the apparatus or unit according to the invention. Alternatively, such a vehicle may be at rest. A position ready for storage can also refer to a position on a conveyor belt, which can be moving.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises monitoring a degree of compression of said material during feeding of said material. The method may also comprise measuring a release rate of a wire released during feeding of said material, wherein said step of winding a sheet around said material is controlled based on the speed of release of said wire.

In addition, the method according to the invention may further comprise at least one step of adjusting a diameter of a compression chamber used for shaping said continuous bar. Typically, the method may comprise a step of increasing a diameter of said continuous bar by increasing the diameter of the shaping chamber of the shaping and wrapping unit, and a subsequent step of said diameter reduction of said bar continuing to reduce the diameter of the shaping chamber of the shaping and wrapping unit.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a compression measuring device for measuring a degree of compression of bulky material, said measuring device comprising:

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a sensor device that is at least partially embedded in said material and adapted to be subjected to a compression force applied by the material on the sensor device; Y,

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a control device adapted to apply a predetermined actuation pulse to the sensor device, in order to activate said sensor device,

wherein the actuation of the sensing device produces a detectable response.

The sensor device can be used in a method for measuring a degree of compression on a material, comprising the steps of:

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providing an expandable sensor device embedded at least partially in said material and adapted to receive a compressive force applied by the material on the expandable sensor device, and

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applying a predetermined actuation pulse to an expandable sensor device in order to operate said sensor device;

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detecting a response produced by said actuation pulse applied to the expandable sensor device.

A sensor device and a method of that type can be useful for monitoring the degree of compression of the bulky material that is being shaped according to a continuous bar. In addition, the method can be particularly useful in combination with a method for forming and wrapping material in continuous bar form as described herein. However, the sensing device may be useful in applications where there is no wrapping operation, only compression of material.

By monitoring the degree of compression of the material, the operator of a packaging and shaping apparatus can suitably adapt the operation (for example, the feeding of material) in order to optimize the degree of compression. With this, optimum compression of the material can be easily achieved.

In embodiments of the invention the sensing device may be expandable, for example having the shape of an expandable bladder of a pair of forceps. Alternatively, instead of being expandable said sensor device may be capable of reducing its size as a result of said degree of compression.

In particular, the measuring device may be adapted to measure the degree of compression of the material passing through said measuring device. Typically, when the sensing device is expandable, said actuation pulse may expand the expandable sensor device in a direction perpendicular to the flow of material passing said sensor device.

The measuring device may further comprise means for measuring said response.

In a preferred embodiment, the expandable sensor device is formed in the manner of a pair of clamps and said actuation pulse is a force of predetermined magnitude applied to expand the claws of said clamps, and the response to said pulse is the resulting distance between the clamps. claws.

In another preferred embodiment, the expandable sensor device is formed as an expandable bladder, which can be extended by injecting a fluid through an inlet of the bladder, and said actuating pulse is a pressure of a predetermined amount to which it is injected the fluid in the bladder, and the response to that pulse is the volume expansion of said bladder.

The measuring device can be used in an apparatus for shaping material according to a continuous bar comprising means for supplying material and a compression chamber, in which the material provided by said material supply means is forced to pass to through the aforementioned compression chamber. With this, the invention also relates to an apparatus for shaping material in the manner of a continuous bar, comprising:

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means of material supply;

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a compression chamber, in which the material provided by said material supply means is forced to pass through said compression chamber, and

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a measuring device according to any one of claims 21-27, arranged in said compression chamber.

The compression chamber can be a shaping chamber as described herein.

These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features disclosed in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to

invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the embodiment of the example of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another embodiment of a part of the apparatus;

Figures 4a-d is a series of figures illustrating the wrapping method.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus 1 for wrapping material in the form of a continuous bar. The apparatus 1 of Figure 1 can be divided into a shaping and wrapping unit in the form of a compression and wrapping part 2, and a feeding unit in the form of a feeding part 3. Even though the forming and wrapping unit is referred to as compression and wrapping part 2, the material does not necessarily have to be compressed by the compression and wrapping part 2. That is, in some applications, a small, or none at all, compression is adequate. In such a case, the degree of compression of the material will hardly be increased by the compression and wrapping part 2. The compression and wrapping part 2 of the apparatus 1 is connected to the feeder part 3 of the apparatus and comprises, among others, sheet wrapping means 4, a shaping chamber in the form of a compression chamber 6 and a guiding portion 7 arranged as a continuation of said compression chamber 6. The feeder part 3 comprises suitable means of supplying material for feeding material to the compression and wrapping part 2. By the terms of the description such as "previous", "following", "upper" and "lower" are expected to have their usual meaning, when the apparatus is seen in its position of use. The terms distal and proximal are intended to have their ordinary meaning in relation to the apparatus 1. That is, distal is intended to mean the furthest from the apparatus 1 and proximal is intended to mean close to the apparatus 1. The input side of the compression and wrapping part 2 is defined as the side facing the feeder portion 3, and the exit side is the opposite side, which faces away from the feeder portion 3.

The compression chamber 6 is adjustable in size, and comprises an outlet, an upper portion, and a base, the base of which is substantially horizontal during use. The upper portion comprises a plurality of slightly arched plates. The circumference of the upper portion is divided into segments by means of the plates, the plates of which overlap each other along the edges extending between openings of the compression chamber 6. Such overlapping edges allow the size and cross section of the compression chamber 6 to be adjustable. When the size of the compression chamber is as large as possible, the plates are arranged edge to edge. The plates of the compression chamber 6 are preferably made of metal, but may also be made of other materials such as plastic, polyester, or composite material.

The base of the chamber 6 is supported by four cylinders 8, which are rotatable in a direction of movement of the apparatus when the apparatus is in use. Two of the cylinders 8 are disposed on or near the outlet side of the compression and wrapping part 2 and two of the cylinders 8 are disposed on or near the entrance side. The cylinders are fastened to a frame 23 which extends between the cylinders and which is provided with a gap such as that which has been formed between the cylinders 8. Also, the frame 23 is disposed at a certain distance from the base of the cylinder. the compression chamber 6. The cylinders 8 extend along a transverse distance from the base of the chamber relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus 1 when the apparatus 1 is in use. Such rotary cylinders 8 facilitate the transfer of the compression and wrapping part 2 of the apparatus 1, since the cylinders 8 counteract the frictional force of the apparatus 1 against the ground. Alternatively, the base may be supported by one or more wheels at each corner of the base or by some other suitable support elements that provide at least a similar function.

It should be appreciated that the compression chamber of Figures 1-3 does not have means to actively compress the material to be formed as a bar. In contrast, the compression chamber of these embodiments provides a confined space that receives material from a feeder, thereby achieving compression of the material in the compression chamber.

The guiding portion 7 comprises a plurality of plates arranged as a continuation of the upper part of said compression chamber 6. The plates are hingedly attached to the plates of the compression chamber 6 and are tapered in a direction opposite to the compression chamber 6. In order to allow the cross section of the compression chamber 6 to be adjusted and also to allow contact between a wrapping sheet and the material to be wrapped, the plates of the guiding portion 7 are disposed at a some distance from each other. The plates may be angled relative to the circumferential surface of the compression chamber 6, such that one end of the plate facing outward from the compression chamber 6 is closer to the center of the guide portion 7 than one opposite end of the plate. By arranging the plates of the guiding portion 7 at an angle towards the center of the compression chamber 6, the diameter of the continuous bar of resulting material will be smaller. Additionally, the angulation of the plates of the guiding portion 7 results in a cone-shaped end in the compression chamber 6. With this, the degree of compression of the shaped material in the manner of a continuous bar can be increased. The angulation of the

plates can be operated by means of wires (not shown) extending between each of the plates and a mechanism disposed in the forward wall 21 of the compression chamber, which mechanism can stretch the wire when increased angulation is desired, or loosen the wire when less angulation is desired. Even though the guiding portion 7 is disposed as a continuation of the compression chamber 6, there may be a separation distance between the guiding portion 7 and the compression chamber 6. Since the cross section of the compression chamber 6 is adjustable, and since each plate of the guiding portion 7 is attached to a corresponding plate of the compression chamber 6, the size and cross section of said portion 7 of Guides may be adjusted when the size or cross section of the compression chamber 6 is adjusted. In this way, the resulting wrapped continuous bar may have different cross sections, and a user may choose the cross section that is most convenient depending, for example, on the material to be wrapped or the storage space available. For example, a rectangular cross section may be preferable if the user intends to transport the compressed bars using a tractor, since it is more efficient in space to load such bars for example on the platform of a vehicle.

The length of the compression chamber 6 and of the guide portion 7 as a whole in an axial direction is preferably between 1 and 3 m, more preferably between 1 and 2.5 m, and more preferably between 1.2 and 2.5 m. If the length is shorter than about 1 m, the material to be formed according to a continuous bar can not be compressed as much as desired for many agricultural applications. For a compression chamber 6 and a guide portion 7 too short, the expansion force of the compressed material will act on the wrapped material. Since the wrapping sheet does not counteract the expansion force as much as would be necessary to avoid any expansion, this results in unsatisfactory compression. To avoid all this, the length of the compression chamber and the guiding portion is preferably at least 1.2 m for many applications. On the other hand, if the length of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7 is longer than about 2.5-3 m, depending on the material, the feeder may have no influence on the degree of compression of the material. on the output side.

In embodiments of the invention, the length of the compression chamber 6 can be adjusted in such a way that a person operating the apparatus can choose an appropriate length for a specific application.

The sheet winding means 4 (or sheet winder) of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3, comprise two guide rails 9 and two sheet dispensers 11 for continuously applying a wrapping sheet around the material formed by the compression chamber 6. The guide rails 9 are arranged parallel to all around (surrounding) the circumferential surface of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7. The sheet dispensers 11 are positioned using suitable fixing means between the guide rails 9 above the guide portion 7 and partially above the compression chamber 6. The sheet dispensers 11 are arranged to follow the guide rails 9. The dimensions of the guide rails 9 may be fixed or may be adjustable to follow the shape of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7. In this way, the sheet dispensers 11 can be in intimate contact with the compression chamber 6 and the guide portion 7 independently of the size or shape of the compression chamber 6 and the guide portion 7. In addition, the dimensions of each of the guide rails 9 can be adjusted independently of one another. The sheet winding means 4 are operated by a hydraulic motor through a roller chain (not shown). Below the base of the compression chamber 6, the guide rails are disposed between the frame 23 and the base of the compression chamber 6 in the direction transverse to the movement of the material, and between the cylinders 8 in the direction of travel of the material. material. The sheet dispenser can thus make it pass, in close proximity to the end of the compression chamber, the material to be wrapped, without being hinged to the frame 23 or to the cylinders

8

In addition, Figure 1 also shows a lower support portion 13. Between the base of the compression chamber 6 and the lower support portion 13 there is a gap, so that the wrapping sheet can be adjusted to the material being formed as a continuous bar. The lower support portion 13 is shaped like a plate, which is, on one long side, hingedly or fixedly connected to the frame 23 below the base of the compression chamber 6 in such a way that the portion 13 of Lower support is supported by at least one of the cylinders 8 on the exit side of the compression and wrapping part 2. The opposite long side is free to rest on the ground. In this way, the continuous bar that forms and wraps using the apparatus 1, can be guided down to the floor by means of the support portion 13. With this, any damage of the wrapping sheet during exit to the outside of the wrapped continuous bar can be avoided.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which the sheet winding means 4 (sheet winder) comprises a guiding path 8, a support arm 10 in the form of a telescopic boom, a sheet dispenser 11, a roller 12 of support, a second control means (not shown). The guiding path 8 is arranged in a front wall 21 of the compression and wrapping part 2 on the inlet side of the compression chamber 6 and substantially follows the shape of the front wall 21. The telescopic arm 10 has a maximum length that is adapted to extend from the guiding path 8 to the outer circumferential surface of the compression chamber 6 when the compression chamber 6 has its largest circumferential extension. One end of the telescopic arm 190 is arranged to follow the path 8 of

guided and at the opposite end is disposed the sheet dispenser 11. The sheet dispenser 11 is disposed on the guiding portion 7 and partially above the compression chamber 6, such that the free end of the sheet dispenser 11 protrudes beyond the guiding portion 7 on the exit side. . The sheet dispenser 11 is arranged to follow the circumferential (external) surface of the compression chamber 6 when the telescopic arm 10 moves along the path 8. On the side of the compression and wrapping part 2 that is facing the ground, the sheet dispenser 11 can pass through the gap between the frame 23, the base of the compression chamber 6 and the cylinders 8.

The support roller 12 is disposed on the telescopic arm 10 at a distance from the end of the arm such that when the telescopic arm 10 moves, the support roller 12 follows the inner surface of an edge 22 projecting perpendicularly from the front wall 21 of the compression chamber 6. The support roller 12 can extend between the telescopic arm 10 and the rear wall 21.

The length of the telescopic arm 10 is controlled by the support roller 12. The telescopic arm 10 comprises a pushing means, which acts in a direction to extend the telescopic arm 10 to its full length. Since the support roller 12 rests against the edge 22 of the front wall 21 and the sheet dispenser 11 is disposed on the other side of the edge 22, the support roller 12 will prevent the pushing means from extending the telescopic arm 10 further. beyond the outer surface of the compression chamber 6. Alternatively, the length of the telescopic arm 10 can be controlled by an electrical sensor that detects the edge of the compression chamber 6, in combination with a hydraulic cylinder that controls the actual length of the telescopic arm 10 based on the data from the electrical sensor .

In the embodiment of Figure 2, each of the sheet winding means 4 comprises two support rolls 12, which are linked together. In this way, the support rollers 12 can more easily pass over overlapping portions of the plates of the compression chamber when the plates overlap each other. However, the number of support rollers 12 is not limited to two.

Alternatively, the guiding path 8 may be disposed at or near the periphery of the compression chamber 6.

When a sheet wrapping means comprising a support arm 10 is used instead of guide rails 9, the frame 23 and the cylinders 8 must be adapted so as to allow the sheet dispenser (s) to pass through. below the base of the compression chamber, preferably in close proximity to the chamber and that the material is wound. To this end, a smaller frame supporting the cylinders 8 can be provided below the lower support portion 13 only, near the outlet side of the compression chamber. The cylinders 8 of Figure 1 located closer to the entrance side of the forming and wrapping part may in this case be omitted. Optionally, support members or an additional support frame can be provided by means of which the compression chamber can be fixed to the feeder part, and which can distribute part of the loading force of the compression chamber and the material contained in it. the same to the feeder part. Such support members or the additional support frame can also be connected to the cylinders 8.

In embodiments of the invention, the sheet winding means 4 are driven by a hydraulic motor through a roller chain (not shown). However, the sheet winding means 4 can also be operated using other suitable power units, such as an electric motor or a hydrostatic motor. Alternatively, the roller chain can be replaced by a belt. The invention is not limited to any particular means of power transmission. Other suitable types of power transmissions, such as electric or hydrostatic ones, can also be used.

In Figure 1 the material supply means are integrated in the feeder part 3 of the apparatus 1 in the form of a conventional rotor packer or feeder, which is arranged so as to feed the material to be compressed and wrapped into through a rectangular opening using a rotor that rotates about an axis transverse to the flow direction of the material. The feeder part 3 is connected to the compression and wrapping part 2 of the apparatus 1 through the rectangular opening of the rotor packer / feeder, whose opening is connected to a receiving end of a rectangular channel 4 provided in the front wall 21 of the compression and wrapping part 2 on the inlet side thereof, see Figure 2. The rectangular channel 14 provides a passage towards the compression chamber 6 through an inlet opening, and the walls of the channel 14 can they are arranged in a hinged or fixed manner in the front wall 21 around the entrance opening. The feeder part 3 also comprises a first control means (not shown) operating on said feeder and which is operable separately in relation to the second control means of the sheet winding means 4.

Alternatively, the material supply means may be a screw feeder. In that case, the channel can be modified to be compatible with such feeder. Also alternatively, the material supply means may be a piston feeder. In that case, the channel can be modified to be compatible with said feeder.

The part 2 of compressing and wrapping can be driven by power from a separate power unit (not shown) disposed in the part 2 of compressing and wrapping, or by power from the feeder part 3, or by power from a tractor coupled to the part 2 of compressing and wrapping the apparatus 1. In all cases, the control means operating on said sheet winding means 4 are operable separately in relation to the control means (not shown) that they operate on said feeder. The ability of the part 2 to compress and wrap is at least equal to the capacity of the feeder part 3.

The apparatus 1 further comprises a wire 5 which is arranged so that it is released by means of a releaser (not shown) disposed in the feeder part 3. It is envisaged that the wire is embedded within the continuous bar of material during the operation of the apparatus 1. The wire 5 runs through an opening disposed in the front wall 21 of the compression chamber 6. Alternatively, the wire release can be disposed on the underside of the compression chamber 6, in the vicinity of the feeder. During use, a distal end of the wire 5 is attached to a corresponding device for supporting the wire 5 by a distal end of the bar that is formed by the apparatus 1. In addition, the wire releaser also comprises means for measuring a speed of release of the wire 5 (not shown). Such an arrangement is advantageous, since it is possible to measure the transfer of formed material according to a continuous bar by said apparatus 1 by measuring the speed of release of the wire 5. In this way, the degree of rotation of the winding means 4 can be controlled based on the speed of release of the wire 5. Accordingly, the overlap of the rolled sheet layers around the continuous bar can be adjusted, as required. Once enough material has been formed as a continuous bar, the wire 5 is unlocked and dragged out of the continuous bar of material during the winding of the wire 5 in the wire releaser using hydrostatic power (not shown). Since the wire 5 will be embedded in the interior of the continuous bar, the risk of causing damage is reduced in case the wire 5 breaks during its dragging. Alternatively, the wire 5 can be pulled outwardly by first actuating the apparatus 1 in the forward direction and then in the rearward direction. In this way, the wire 5 is wound on the wire release and pulled out of the continuous bar. In that case, the winding of the wire 5 works in a similar way to the normal winding of the cable of a vacuum cleaner.

The wire release can be provided with wire breaking means, which makes it possible to control the degree of compression of the material provided by the material supply means. Depending on the application, the appropriate degree of compression may vary. For example, when composting waste is wrapped, a low degree of compression is adequate, since such applications require aerobic conditions inside the continuous wrapped bar. On the contrary, when a material containing a high content of a dry substance is wrapped, a high degree of compression is suitable, since it is desirable to reduce the air content in the bar. In addition, when the wrapping material is wet (i.e., material containing a lower content of dry substance), a slightly lower degree of compression may be advantageous compared to the case of the dried material, since a degree of Low compression can prevent or reduce problems with water leaving the material by pressure during compression and wrapping, as well as problems encountered when removing material from the continuous bar after the desired process has finished (eg, storage) .

Referring again to Figure 3, this embodiment also illustrates how much the size and shape of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7 can be adjusted. When the size of the compression chamber 6 is reduced, the size of the guiding portion 7 is also reduced. Since the plates of the compression chamber 6 are movably attached to the wall of the compression chamber, the plates move relative to the wall when the size of the compression chamber and of the guiding portion 7 are adjusted. . Alternatively, the wall can be formed by several parts that overlap each other similarly to the plates of the compression chamber 6 when the size of the compression chamber 6 is adjusted.

The size of the compression chamber of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 is adjusted in a similar manner.

In embodiments of the invention, the apparatus 1 further comprises at least one sensor device 16 (see Figure 3) forming part of a compression measurement device for monitoring the degree of compression of the material provided by the material delivery means. The sensor device 16 is arranged in the compression chamber 6 and adapted to receive / be subjected to a compression force applied by the material. In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 1, the sensor device 16 is formed in the manner of claws or a pair of clamps disposed on a rod that is attached to the rear wall 21 of the compression chamber 6 facing the means of material supply. The compression measurement device also comprises a control device, which is adapted to apply a predetermined actuation pulse to the sensor device 16 in order to activate the sensor device 16.

The sensor device 16 provides data relative to the degree of compression of the material. Based on the data from the sensor device 16, a user can choose to adjust the material feed rate of the material supply means in order to obtain a desired degree of compression. With this, the sensor device and the material supply means operable independently, allow tight control of the degree of compression of the material in the compression chamber 6.

During use, the sensor device 16 is at least partially embedded in the compressed material in the compression chamber 6 and the compression measurement device is adapted to measure the degree of compression of the material passing through said sensor device 16. The sensor device 16 is located at a position inside the compression chamber 6 where the material has already been compressed as much as possible. Alternatively, the sensor device 16 may be arranged in a position such that data from the device can be interpreted using information related to a maximum expected degree of compression.

The sensor device 16 is activated by applying a predetermined actuation pulse in the form of a predetermined force applied to expand the claws in a direction perpendicular to the material flow passing through the sensor device 16. Next, the sensor device 16 produces a detectable response corresponding to a resultant distance between the claws. The response can be measured by the sensor itself, or the measuring device can comprise means for measuring said response. For the embodiment of Figure 1, the response can be measured using a sensor that measures the distance between the ends of the claws. Alternatively, if the force is applied to the jaws by hydrostatic power, the response can be measured as the amount of fluid that has been injected using a predetermined pressure. With this, a specific degree of compression of the material results in a specific volume of injected fluid.

In an alternative embodiment, the sensor device 16 may be in the form of an expandable bladder, which may be expanded by injection of a fluid through an inlet of the bladder. In such an embodiment, the actuation pulse is in the form of pressure of predetermined magnitude, by which the fluid is injected into the bladder, and the response to said pulse is the volume expansion of said bladder. Before the injection, the fluid to be injected into the bladder is present in a reservoir, and the response can be measured by measuring the volume reduction of the fluid in the reservoir. In this way, the volume of fluid that is injected into said bladder can be determined.

In yet another alternative embodiment, the sensor device is in the form of a cylinder expandable in the longitudinal direction, being axially disposed inside the compression chamber. The cylinder has an external stationary cylinder and an internal moving cylinder. In such an embodiment, the actuation pulse is in the form of pressure of a predetermined amount by means of which the internal cylinder is forced in the outflow direction from the external cylinder against the flow of the material. In other words, the sensing device of this embodiment expands in a direction against the flow of the material. If the pressure is applied to the cylinder by hydrostatic power, the response can be measured as the amount of fluid that has been injected by application of the resulting force using a predetermined pressure. Alternatively, the cylinders can be filled with a fluid and the sensing device can be activated in a manner similar to the embodiment using the bladder as described above. In that case, the response is a volume of fluid that can be injected into the cylinders. Also alternatively, the response can be detected as the distance at which the end of the inner cylinder is transferred.

The degree of compression can be measured by applying several actuation pulses with predetermined time intervals. After the performance pulse has been applied, the resulting response is measured. Alternatively, the response can be measured continuously during the actuation pulse. The frequency of the time intervals is adjustable. The frequency is suitably chosen such that the sensing device is in its non-activated state, i.e. a static state, between pulses for a period of time that is long enough for a certain amount of compressed material to pass through the device . Thus, a previous pulse can not affect the response of a subsequent pulse.

The sheet winding means 4 are operated by means of a hydraulic motor through a roller chain (not shown).

Figures 4a-d are a sequence of schemes illustrating the use of an embodiment of apparatus 1. Figure 4a shows apparatus 1 at the beginning of the wrapping process. The compression chamber 6, and the guiding portion 7 are adjusted in such a way that they have the smallest possible cross sections, and a tape-shaped wire support device 18 of conical shape is disposed in the portion 7 of guidance on the exit side of part 2 of compressing and wrapping. The wire 5 has been fastened to the cone body 18 using a locking means. The material to be shaped as a continuous bar is insulated on a loading area 17 of the feeder part 3 of the apparatus 1, which comprises the rotor feeder / packer. The material can be loaded by pouring material into a loader of a tractor over the loading area 17.

In Figure 4b, the cone-shaped body 18 is wrapped with a sheet 19 used to wrap the said continuous bar, and the beginning of a bar is formed. Preferably, the sheet 19 is self-adhering. By wrapping a self-adhering sheet in such a way that one sheet turn overlaps another sheet turn, the sheet will be held around the cone-shaped body 18. Alternatively, the surface of the cone-shaped body 18 has been provided with texture, such as grooves, circular recesses, projections or other suitable texture pattern. Thus, the sheet 19 can be held around the body 18 in the form of a cone due to the frictional force between the sheet and the body 18 in the form of a cone. Also alternatively, the sheet 19 can be fastened to the body 19 in

cone shape by melting, using an adhesive or by attaching the sheet 19. After the cone-shaped body 18 has been wrapped with the sheet, the size and shape of the compression chamber 6 and the portion 7 of guidance, respectively, are adjusted to a size that is suitable for the application. During the wrapping process, the feeder performs feeding of material to the compression chamber 6, in which the material is compressed. On the outlet side of the compression chamber 6, the material is shaped according to a bar 20. In the guiding portion 7 the sheet is wrapped around said material in such a way that said sheet 19 overlaps, at least partially, with a roll of sheet 19 previously rolled. Since the sheet dispenser extends beyond the plates of the guiding portion 7 and there is a gap between the base of the compression chamber and the lower support element 13, the sheet 19 is partially wound on the plates and partially on, and in contact with, the material being formed according to a bar 20. The operation of winding the sheet 19 around the material is separated from the operation of feeding the material into the compression chamber 6, and each operation is controllable independently of the other. Next, the continuous bar wrapped in material is transferred to a storage ready position, which may be the floor or a temporary storage position of the type of a platform of a loader of a tractor. When the material bar is transferred out of the apparatus 1, the sheet is pulled out of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7. During the wrapping, a wire 5 is released downstream of the feeder and upstream of the compression chamber 6, such that the wire 5 is embedded within the continuous bar. Thus, by measuring the release rate of the wire 5 released during the operation of the apparatus 1, the transfer of formed material in a continuous bar can be measured by means of said apparatus 1. The operation of winding a sheet around the material is controlled based on the transfer of measured material. Since the control means operating on the sheet winding means 4 and the control means operating on the feeder are operable separately, an operator of the apparatus 1 can easily adjust the resulting thickness of the envelope covering the continuous bar adjusting the speed of the sheet dispensers 11, thereby influencing the degree of overlap between adjacent turns of sheet 19. In the compression chamber 6 a degree of compression of the material is monitored during the operation. Simultaneously, by controlling the feeder for example on the basis of the compression data obtained from the measuring device, a desired degree of compression can be ensured.

During the operation, the operator can adjust the diameter of the compression chamber 6 and of the guiding portion 7 if desirable for some reason. The optimum diameter and cross section of the resulting continuous bar may depend on the properties of the material to be wrapped. For example, for materials such as forage, grass or the like, a larger diameter is preferable. For example, for grain and materials of that type, a larger base of the resulting continuous bar is preferable.

Figure 4c illustrates the continuous bar 20 that has been formed after some time of operation. If the loading area of the feeder still comprises material, the feeder will continue feeding the material to the compression chamber 6 and the wrapping process will continue.

In Figure 4d, the bar 20 has reached the desired length and the diameter of the compression chamber 6 and of the guiding portion 7 has been reduced to the smallest possible to close the end of the resulting continuous bar 20. Prior to the sealing of the continuous bar, the wire 5 is released from the body 18 in the form of a cone, and is pulled out of the bar by means of the apparatus 1. The wire is wound on the wire release disposed under the wire feeder. the feeder part 3. Since the wire 5 is embedded inside the material, the risk of damage is reduced in case the wire breaks.

The sheet 19 used for wrapping can be a film, a net, or a mesh. Preferably, the sheet is a stretchable plastic film, typically comprising polyethylene. The use of a stretchable film allows a higher wrapping force, which results in a better adhesion of the sheet 19. In this way, the air pockets can be avoided between the material that has been formed as a continuous bar and the sheet 19. In addition, a stretchable film follows the shape of the continuous bar better than a non-stretchable film. Since the degree of winding can be adjusted, the stretching of the sheet can be adjusted, which results in the stretching force being adjustable. In this way, the sheet consumption can be adjusted depending on the application, and consequently on the material to be rolled. To compress and wrap cultures intended for silage, the wrapping film could protect the crop by providing a barrier against moisture and oxygen. The degree of protection provided by the wrapper can be determined by the properties of the sheet in combination with the number of layers wound around the compressed material. In order to improve the protection of the bar of compressed material, a high degree of overlap can be used, in such a way that the bar, along almost its entire length, is wrapped with at least two layers of sheet. However, for the production of silage, at least part of the continuous bar is suitably covered with a number of between 4 and 16 layers of sheet, and preferably with 6 layers of sheet. The use of a plurality of layers is advantageous since the controlled environment of the interior of the bar can be maintained even if one of the layers is damaged. Additionally, the overlaps between the adjacent turns of sheets will be tightened for a large number of layers. In this way, the controlled environment inside the bar is better maintained. Alternatively, for applications where less protection is required, the degree of overlap can be adjusted such that the bar continues, at any position along its entire length, is covered with at least one layer of foil, and in parts are covered with at least two layers. For example, when the material is wrapped for the purpose of providing protection against

atmospheric agents, less than 50% of the continuous bar can be covered with two layers of sheet.

Within the scope of the invention, various modifications of the embodiments are possible. For example, the number of foil dispensers 11 may vary between one and six. However, a greater number of foil dispensers 11 may also be preferable for some applications.

The feeder part 3 comprising the material supply means may be integrated in the apparatus 1 as described above. Alternatively, the compressing and wrapping part 2 of the apparatus 1 can be an independent apparatus that is attached to a universal feeder / packer comprising the material supply means. Such a conventional feeder may be a screw feeder, a rotor feeder / packer, or a piston feeder.

Alternatively, the transfer of shaped material according to a continuous bar 20, can be measured using a belt conveyor or a rear stop. In case a backgauge is used, the movement of the backgauge is measured in some conventional manner. The transfer of material is simply the same as the movement of the backgauge. If a belt conveyor is used, the movement of the belt will be equal to the material transfer.

Alternatively, neither the size of the compression chamber 6 nor that of the guiding portion 7 are adjustable, or the size of the compression chamber 6 is not adjustable while the plates 7 of the guiding portion 7 can be inclined according to it has been described in the foregoing.

Alternatively, the compressing and wrapping part 2 can simply include a compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7 can be excluded from the apparatus 1 comprising the part 2 of compressing and wrapping or both parts of the part 2 of compressing and wrapping and the feeder part 2. In that case, the preferred length of the compression chamber 6 and the guiding portion 7 refers to the length of the compression chamber 6 only.

Also alternatively, the portion 2 of compressing and wrapping may simply include a guiding portion 7 and the compression chamber 6 may have been excluded from the apparatus 1 comprising the part 2 of compressing and wrapping or both parts of between the part 2 of compressing and wrap and the feeder part 2. In that case, the plates of the guiding portion 7 are attached to the guiding units in the rear wall to allow the size change of the guiding portion 7. The preferred length of the compression chamber 6 and of the guiding portion 7 refers to the length of the guiding portion 7 only. The foil dispensers 11 may be arranged only on the guiding portion 7 or on both guiding portion and compression chamber 6. If the guiding portion 7 has been excluded from the apparatus 1, the sheet dispensers 11 can be arranged only on the compression chamber 6.

Also alternatively, the wire 5 may be disposed in the lower part of the resulting continuous bar 20, instead of being embedded within the material.

The invention can be used to wrap material independently of the desired conditions of the controlled environment of the interior of the continuous bar or of the properties of the material to be wrapped. For example, the invention can be used for packaging agricultural products, for example for the production of silage or for the storage of grain. Alternatively, the invention can be used to wrap waste material for composting. In that case, a perforated tube for air supply may be arranged inside the material that has been formed as a continuous bar during the process of compressing and wrapping. The invention can also be used to wrap oil-damaged soil for the protection of the surrounding environment.

Claims (13)

1. A unit (2) for shaping and wrapping, to form material according to a continuous bar (20) and wrap the said material, and adapted to be fixed to a material supply unit, comprising:

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a shaping chamber (6) for shaping the material in a continuous bar, said chamber having an inlet opening for feeding material into the chamber and an outlet opening for discharging said continuous bar, and

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means (4) for winding the sheet, for wrapping said continuous bar, and characterized in that it also comprises:

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control means operating on said sheet winding means,

wherein at least one of said foil winding means and said control means is adapted to be operable independently of a feed rate of material to the forming chamber. 2. A unit for forming and wrapping according to claim 1, further comprising a portion (7) guided as a continuation of said compression chamber, wherein said sheet winding means are arranged to wrap a sheet around at least part of the guiding portion. 3. A unit for shaping and wrapping according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said shaping chamber is of adjustable size and / or cross section. 4. A unit for shaping and wrapping according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said guiding portion is of adjustable size and / or cross section. 5. A unit for shaping and wrapping according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said sheet winding means comprises at least one sheet dispenser disposed on at least one guide rail (9). 6. A unit for shaping and wrapping according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said sheet winding means comprise at least one support arm (10) having at least one dispenser (11) of blade, preferably a telescopic support arm. 7. A unit for shaping and wrapping according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said sheet winding means comprises between 2 and 6 sheet dispensers. 8. A unit for forming and wrapping according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one sensor device (16) for monitoring a degree of compression of said material. 9. An apparatus (1) for shaping material in a continuous bar and wrapping said material, comprising:

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means for supplying material for feeding said material;

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first control means operating on said means of material supply;

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a shaping and wrapping unit (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

wherein said first control means operating on said material supply means and said control means operating on said sheet winding means are actuatable separately. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

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at least one wire (5) attached at its proximal end to said material supply means or to a rear wall of said forming and wrapping unit, and

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a wire release adapted to release said wire.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for measuring a rate of release of said wire released by said wire releaser. 12. An apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said wire is connected at its distal end to a corresponding wire support device (18) at the distal end of the continuous bar of material, and is arranged so that it is embedded inside the continuous bar of material during feeding and / or the wrapping of said material. 13. A method for forming and wrapping material according to a continuous bar, comprising:

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feeding said material to a wrapping position while said material is being formed;

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wrapping a sheet around said material in such a way that said sheet at least partially overlaps a previously rolled sheet;

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transferring the wrapped material from said wrapping position to a position ready for storage.

characterized in that said step of feeding the material to a wrapping position and said step of wrapping a sheet around the material are operable separately. 14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising monitoring a degree of compression of said material during the feeding of said material. 15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising at least one step of adjusting the diameter of a compression chamber used for shaping said continuous bar. 16. A method according to claim 15 which uses a unit for shaping and wrapping in accordance with 15 any one of claims 3 to 8, comprising a step of increasing a diameter of said continuous bar by increasing the diameter of the compression chamber and a subsequent step of reducing said diameter of said continuous bar by reducing the diameter of the compression chamber .